My attackers have very little efficiency.

I need little help. My attackers have very little efficiency.

Training. What will be better? General training, main focus: Attacking, or only focus for next three weeks on attacking. How to improve the efficiency of the attackers?

Scouting report. When I read scouting report on next opponent, I use tactics, which seems to caused most problems for opponent and often conceding goal. Is there anything helpful in scouting reports, what should I know?

General training is long term not short term, so 3 weeks isn't worth it as it's nowhere near long enough to have any kind of impact;

The General training focuses you can train are:

• Balanced
  
• Fitness
  
• Tactics
  
• Ball Control
  
• Defending
  
• Attacking
  
• Team Cohesion
  

All of the above focus on sets of attributes so lets break them down and take a look;

• Fitness : Acceleration, Agility,Balance, Jumping, Natural Fitness, Pace, Stamina, Strength, Workrate
  
• Tactics: Anticipation, Composure, Concentration, Decisions, Teamwork
  
• Ball Control: Dribbling, First Touch, Heading, Technique, Flair
  
• Defending: Marking, Tackling, Positioning
  
• Attacking: Crossing, Finishing, Long Shots, Passing, Creativity, Off the ball
  

So if you choose a focus this means the emphasis on the attributes listed above will be much greater than normal. You'll notice I left off balanced from the list, the reason for this is because it's like a default setting and make sure all attributes have the same focus on all attributes with no preference. The general training module is great if you want all players to train a specific way for something you are creating and take a more generic approach.

I need little help. My attackers have very little efficiency.

Training. What will be better? General training, main focus: Attacking, or only focus for next three weeks on attacking. How to improve the efficiency of the attackers?

Scouting report. When I read scouting report on next opponent, I use tactics, which seems to caused most problems for opponent and often conceding goal. Is there anything helpful in scouting reports, what should I know?

Your attackers lacking efficiency sounds like a major tactical issue.

Your attackers lacking efficiency sounds like a major tactical issue.

It's either that, and / or a "sense of perspective or context" issue.

By that, I mean that we see lots of people, especially in General Discussion, bemoaning the fact that their striker has "3 Clear Cut Chances a match, but never scores".

I believe that people are often overly influenced by the in game stats, and also that there appears to be a low tolerance to genuine misses or mistakes by players in game.

If these strikers were "efficient" and missed less, then we would see some crazy scorelines. Footballers just don't score all the chances they get. The representation of a miss in FM14s Match Engine may infuriate, but there have to be misses.

It's either that, and / or a "sense of perspective or context" issue.

By that, I mean that we see lots of people, especially in General Discussion, bemoaning the fact that their striker has "3 Clear Cut Chances a match, but never scores".

I believe that people are often overly influenced by the in game stats, and also that there appears to be a low tolerance to genuine misses or mistakes by players in game.

Add to this that is they only watch key highlights and it always shows the clear cut chances being missed, this again influences your belief that the striker is missing them.

And how do you define CCC? Or even more to the point how does the ME define CCC? Austin for my QPR side has missed loads of CCCs (defined by the ME). In the 6 yard box, unmarked, straight to the keeper. But then again he's scored a lot too.. So perhaps it's just too many CCCs...

-SnUrF

Maybe try training him to try to pass or lob the keeper as PPM? Or at least to place shots... Assuming the guy is good enough to carry such a PPM.

Your attackers lacking efficiency sounds like a major tactical issue.

Also possibly a low composure rating? I've really noticed how important it is to have a striker with decent composure !

Maybe try training him to try to pass or lob the keeper as PPM? Or at least to place shots... Assuming the guy is good enough to carry such a PPM.

PPMs won't be much of a factor. All they are is a tendency to do things when the conditions are right, they won't be demonstrated as often as people sometimes assume.

Scorelines in fm are rarely 'out of place', rarely unrealistic.

The way this score comes to be ... i feel it does not have enough variation though...

I think lots of people go crazy (including me sometimes) if they see their strikers miss open goal chances time and time again.

Only to see the opposition score 1 of their 2 shots on goal.

Dont get me wrong cause this does happen irl... only not so much as in fm.

I know i would be less frustrated if my team wasnt able to create enough decent chances to score a goal.

You know then theres some work cut out for you as a manager...

But if your (a-class) striker missed the most obvious chances... theres not really anything you can do...you feel powerless...

on the other hand.... i love fm.. It has given me plaesure since cm 97-98

cheers

This is a frustration of mine with my team........I routinely take 15-20 shots a game with 8-10 CCC's (shots on target) and get at most 2 goals. AI team I'm playing takes 5 shots, 3 CCC's and scores 3 goals..........Also have a problem with a goal a game disallowed for offsides. The AI is NEVER offsides.........

This is a frustration of mine with my team........I routinely take 15-20 shots a game with 8-10 CCC's (shots on target) and get at most 2 goals. AI team I'm playing takes 5 shots, 3 CCC's and scores 3 goals..........Also have a problem with a goal a game disallowed for offsides. The AI is NEVER offsides.........

now that you mention it, i have not seen the AI offside either, unless is just a regular offside not a scoring chance.

We must not be playing the same game. I've seen plenty of AI goals called for offside or foul. Less than mine, but that's probably more to do with me playing better and creating more chances. In fact, I sometimes feel guilty because in the post-game, the ref analysis very often (I feel like 40% of the time! could be wrong, since its based on my feeling) say that the ref favoured my team.

I agree with fraeyke though. FM produces a lot of chances per game, and in order to keep realistic scoreline, you witness a lot of misses, which can be very frustrating.

Now I played in League One and League Two. Very often I saw where the action was stopped as offside, but when I seen replay very often I haven't seen any offside. AI had much less offsides than my teams and efficiency of AI I will not rather to comment.

Now I played in League One and League Two. Very often I saw where the action was stopped as offside, but when I seen replay very often I haven't seen any offside. AI had much less offsides than my teams and efficiency of AI I will not rather to comment.

I play in SkyBet League2........

I started playing for Huddersfield.

Cambridge United is last opponent before beginning of the Championship. Now I learn, what can I see in scouting report of next opponent. Cambridge United scored all goals through left side. Two goals Cambridge scored after long balls. I think that my right side will have more defensive roles than left side. Are my thoughts correct?

Here is my most used tactic. Mentality style is changing. Standard, Counter or Attacking often before match, or during match.

I would like to add here all the bad and good things that I will see during the season. If you need any more information, I will add here whatever you will need. I hope that this will help me to improved my knowledge of FM

To be honest, it is quite early in the season to judge cambridge's attacking plans. Also, adding more defensive duties may simply invite pressure. I would bring the wingers back into Midfield strata to prevent space in behind the wingers down the flanks.

To be honest, it is quite early in the season to judge cambridge's attacking plans. Also, adding more defensive duties may simply invite pressure. I would bring the wingers back into Midfield strata to prevent space in behind the wingers down the flanks.

Now I'm learning how to best prepare on next opponent. Cambridge is just an example. Learning is the only way to improve own game in FM

I actually think that people getting frustrated with the finishing of their players are those that watch the match in comprehensive rather than key highlights. Sometimes i get to the point that i have to switch from Comprehensive to Key as i can't bear to watch missed chance after missed chance. As I've said before lack of transparency as to what is actually going on in your players head to make them miss and how to address that is the issue. I can be clinical against Man City yet struggle to finish easy chances against Kavala and Ap. Kalamaris. I've concluded most of my shooting issues in the Greek Super league come down to complacency now. My assistant says it every game that many of my key players are looking complacent so at least i know when to expect a frustrating 90 minutes. How can i potentially stop that? Basically experiment with different combinations in news conferences and team talks to see if that improves players conversion rate. Not ideal.

People and player management is one area that still has a lot of scope for development and improvement so that players can address these issues through other methods other than just adjusting their tactics.

Today I finally lost patience and most desire to play FM. I do not interested to learn anything else about tactic of the game. Im reading this: "The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know is Wrong About Football."

In real football, it works, but in the game is too many happy events.

FM the more I tried to work with the tactics and the more I read all reports from assistant, coaches, scouts and the results were even worse.

I think that FM will not game for ordinary people. The game will be too complicated and not all people have the time to read of football literature.

Today I finally lost patience and most desire to play FM. I do not interested to learn anything else about tactic of the game. Im reading this: "The Numbers Game: Why Everything You Know is Wrong About Football."

In real football, it works, but in the game is too many happy events.

FM the more I tried to work with the tactics and the more I read all reports from assistant, coaches, scouts and the results were even worse.

I think that FM will not game for ordinary people. The game will be too complicated and not all people have the time to read of football literature.

Honestly this kind of post really grates.

Toff, can you say honestly that every manager in world football is a success? The managers that are successful; from Ferguson, Ancelotti, Simeone, Mourinho to Pulis, Hughes, Dyche are the creme de la creme - it doesn't get better than them. I honestly think that people view their FM career as having some divine right to be in the same ball park as the managers I have listed. They ask: Why can't I have a 25 year career and have a stand named after me? Why can't I pull of a better league position than a club with five times as much resource as I have? Etc etc. However, take the seven I've listed and you'll see their successes but also you'll see how exceptional they are as individuals - their success highlights how difficult it is for mere mortals to do what they do.

Ancelotti was sacked by Chelsea (yes, mistake on Chelsea's part) but he has just given Real Madrid La Décima and will go down in their history for doing so. If some users on this forum were sacked by Chelsea they'd say FM isn't for them (and it may not be their cup of tea but that is fine: Personal preference not the game).

FM isn't too complicated, nor is it unfair or too difficult; it is a football management simulator - it is exactly as hard as it should be.

Honestly this kind of post really grates.

Toff, can you say honestly that every manager in world football is a success? The managers that are successful; from Ferguson, Ancelotti, Simeone, Mourinho to Pulis, Hughes, Dyche are the creme de la creme - it doesn't get better than them. I honestly think that people view their FM career as having some divine right to be in the same ball park as the managers I have listed. They ask: Why can't I have a 25 year career and have a stand named after me? Why can't I pull of a better league position than a club with five times as much resource as I have? Etc etc. However, take the seven I've listed and you'll see their successes but also you'll see how exceptional they are as individuals - their success highlights how difficult it is for mere mortals to do what they do.

Ancelotti was sacked by Chelsea (yes, mistake on Chelsea's part) but he has just given Real Madrid La Décima and will go down in their history for doing so. If some users on this forum were sacked by Chelsea they'd say FM isn't for them (and it may not be their cup of tea but that is fine: Personal preference not the game).

FM isn't too complicated, nor is it unfair or too difficult; it is a football management simulator - it is exactly as hard as it should be.

I think that the problem is a bit elsewhere. I do not expect that I will successful everywhere. The problem is that despite the fact that I was trying to improve their tactics in FM, everything I've tried so far, had very little effect, or had no effect. In the past time I played FM just for fun. Today, somehow I miss the fun part of the game. Many features and very little fun. I am not Ancellotti or Ferguson, Pulis and others. I am ordinary guy. Although I know something about football tactics, I'm not an expert. And therefore you can not compare the ordinary people with the football experts as Sir Alex Ferguson, Ancellotti and others. I do not mind that I lost the match. I think the problem is that it I do not look at already on FM as the game, but I look at the results and how to beat nearest opponent. Funny feeling almost disappeared.

I think that the problem is a bit elsewhere. I do not expect that I will successful everywhere. The problem is that despite the fact that I was trying to improve their tactics in FM, everything I've tried so far, had very little effect, or had no effect. In the past time I played FM just for fun. Today, somehow I miss the fun part of the game. Many features and very little fun. I am not Ancellotti or Ferguson, Pulis and others. I am ordinary guy. Although I know something about football tactics, I'm not an expert. And therefore you can not compare the ordinary people with the football experts as Sir Alex Ferguson, Ancellotti and others. I do not mind that I lost the match, but the fun part is gradually disappearing from the game.

If an in depth game isn't for you then Football Manager Classic is. There are so many variables that need to be taken into account to win a football match on FM and it is easy to overlook some. It takes effort and time to tick all the boxes and often you may miss some and win anyway but sometimes you will be punished. If the game was too easy then it wouldn't be fun either - it is a challenge. Football Manager Classic is easier and offers an experience that is more approachable for someone who wants that sort of game (although I would prefer some additional functionality in FMC to help ease people into a more in dept approach).

I take issue with the inference that FMC is "easier".

Yep, there are factors outside tactics, but I consider that there's a load of willy-waving about morale, team-talks, yada-yada which is used to mask tactical inefficiencies.

At the end of the day, your FM success relies enormously on a sound base of tactical application and responsiveness.

Toff - it's one thing to read, and another to absorb and truly learn. Stick with it and you'll do fine.

If an in depth game isn't for you then Football Manager Classic is. There are so many variables that need to be taken into account to win a football match on FM and it is easy to overlook some. It takes effort and time to tick all the boxes and often you may miss some and win anyway but sometimes you will be punished. If the game was too easy then it wouldn't be fun either - it is a challenge. Football Manager Classic is easier and offers an experience that is more approachable for someone who wants that sort of game (although I would prefer some additional functionality in FMC to help ease people into a more in dept approach).

When I first seen game Football Manager. I thought: "It will be bore. This game can not entertain me." I tried it and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed a lot of fun and pleasure of each goal and of each winning the match. It was, however, a few years ago. Today, I can not find the pleasure of the game.

I take issue with the inference that FMC is "easier".

Yep, there are factors outside tactics, but I consider that there's a load of willy-waving about morale, team-talks, yada-yada which is used to mask tactical inefficiencies.

At the end of the day, your FM success relies enormously on a sound base of tactical application and responsiveness.

Toff - it's one thing to read, and another to absorb and truly learn. Stick with it and you'll do fine.

Perhaps easier was the wrong word but to say FMC is as much of a challenge as the full 'simulated experience' is, in my opinion, misplaced. Opinion is opinion and I'm happy to agree to disagree but the investment FM requires is, in my experience, much more than that of FMC - I can say with absolute certainty that there has been no willy waving from my direction whilst talking about morale, team talks etc.

Many people have said on these forums that FMC is their mode of choice because of its accessibility and not having to worry about a lot of factors the 'full simulated experience' asks you to be concerned with. Yes there are outside factors and in their own light they perhaps don't carry as much weight as some may like to make out however get them all wrong and you'll see negative results; conversely get them all right and you'll see positive results.

Sometimes you really do not know, whether I should laugh or I should cry, when I see some goals in match. Why? After long ball from right wing, goalkeeper totally ignored ball. Sometimes it also happens in real football, but it will not happen as often as in FM. I am sorry that I write it, but it was a situation that had nothing to do with tactics, because it was situation, with which I could not do anything, it was a decision of ME. I am not saying that the game is unfair, but in match too often occur a happy situations and goals. Very many such situations.

Another thing. Ball from wing went out off target, but goalkeeper catched the ball and he went with the ball behind goal line. Corner for opponent. This situations are very common on both sides.

I can say with absolute certainty that there has been no willy waving from my direction whilst talking about morale, team talks etc.

Don't worry, it wasn't directed at you

Sometimes I find that people like to make a scapegoat of factors on the periphery of tactics, in order to mask the fact that their tactical set up is duff. That's all I was alluding to. Sure, morale and all that jazz have an influence, but I've never considered them to be even remotely as important as your core tactical management in game.

Is this thread likely to evolve into anything tactical?

It seems to be teetering on the edge of another descent into a General Discussion style thread.

Don't worry, it wasn't directed at you

Sometimes I find that people like to make a scapegoat of factors on the periphery of tactics, in order to mask the fact that their tactical set up is duff. That's all I was alluding to. Sure, morale and all that jazz have an influence, but I've never considered them to be even remotely as important as your core tactical management in game.

Ahh ok - my bad :o

Yeah agreed. I do think FMC is a big step in the right direction. I'd like to see one addition - the analysis tab - to give people the option of looking more in depth at the game's statistics using the options that tab gives ie average positions, passing map etc.

Perhaps the way forward is a customisable game where you can tick what features you'd like in your specific game and the software boots those up accordingly. Some offers of presets (so the full simulated experience and FMC) but middle ground - allowing users to say: "I want training and analysis, but no media interaction or team talks". Probably not viable from a development point of view!

I resigned from Leeds United. I resigned from Leeds, Southend, Plymouth, Ipswich, Sampdoria, Huddersfield. I think, that FM goes to trash in my computer.

Half-time team-talk is useless. Seems motivated, seems fire-up, yet not happened to me, that would after poor the first half, they would have played better in the second half, they played almost even worse. Assistant manager during match is also useless. Repeats the same things, and when I used his advice in tactic, so nothing has changed in the match. Few minutes later he repeat same advice.

Don't listen to the assman. It's you who decides the tactic and the way your team is supposed to play. It might mean using just 2 midfielders with your assman telling you the opposition has numerical advantage there. But if it's your plan to play that way then just ignore the bludy assman. It's also your responsibility to watch games in full and use the analysis tab to actually know what's happening on the pitch. If the tactic isn't working as you hoped, then it's again you who has to decide what to change.

After all it's you who's playing the game, not the assman (who hasn't got a clue how you want your team to play).

-SnUrF

Don't listen to the assman. It's you who decides the tactic and the way your team is supposed to play. It might mean using just 2 midfielders with your assman telling you the opposition has numerical advantage there. But if it's your plan to play that way then just ignore the bludy assman. It's also your responsibility to watch games in full and use the analysis tab to actually know what's happening on the pitch. If the tactic isn't working as you hoped, then it's again you who has to decide what to change.

After all it's you who's playing the game, not the assman (who hasn't got a clue how you want your team to play).

-SnUrF

So tell me, why is he there? It is not then true that FM is close to reality? Assistant is very important man in football club. He is right hand of manager.

So tell me, why is he there? It is not then true that FM is close to reality? Assistant is very important man in football club. He is right hand of manager.

FM is as close to reality as any football management game is. But as I said, it's you who has the vision of how your team should play, not the assman provided by SI. After all the assman is only a bit (or a large chunk) of code, that can't take into consideration all the things a human manager does.

I personally ignore the assman completely, and I believe I'm not the only one doing so.

-SnUrF

Agree with Snurf. The game isn't out to get you and over reliance on what is essentially a finite resource (AssMan) is suicide.

It is your vision and your tactics. The AssMan supports and offers things like the ability to have comparisons, filter out own players in search results etc.

Toff, you have to realise the game isn't unfair. Why would it be? There isn't any profit in that. It is difficult though and if everybody had it easy every time it wouldn't be fun. It takes time and effort as RTHerringbone pointed out.

Keep at it - you will see results eventually.

Thank you for your advices. I need what I say in team-talk before match and after half time.

Joseph: I am not saying that the game is unfair. I just think that some things are done little wrong. In the game there are a lot of happy situations. In real football is not so much on a single match. And the occurrence is rare. For example: Too many inswinging cross are very dangerous situations, which often is a goal. On the both sides. Another example. Very often, when cross goes out off target, goalkeeper catch the ball and goes with ball behind goal line. Corner kick. Also both sides.

Sometimes seems to me that FM is not totally about football strategy, but only about ME. It is really amazing when a player goes alone at the goal and from decision of ME, he misses the net. And opponent scored goal from nothing few minutes later. Yes, and this happens in real football, but it does happen on both sides of the playground. In FM, however, is really impressive efficiency of opponents. I tried a lot of teams and a lot of tactics, but often the effectiveness of opponents was 90% and more than once was even 100%. On the other side of goalkeepers opponents were often insurmountable even in the best clear chances. I do not claim that the game is unfair, but efficiency of opponents is frighteningly high. It is really amazing what can generates in matches. Another match where opponent has 100% efficiency. Now I'm not curious about any advice on tactics. Because I played another match where ME completely ignored any tactical instructions. I will not describe the situations, but situations had very far to football strategy.

Three my defenders and one opponent striker on the border of penalty area. Reason to panic? No. But what is my surprise when there goes also my goalkeeper. Another surprise. None of my players not being able to get the ball out of play. Goalkeeper missed ball and opponent striker scored another easy goal to empty net. Too often on the opponent's side there are similar situations. That is very interesting the opponent defenders are often the right place.

I think, that I delete FM 2014. Why? It's easy. It's easy. Efficiency of opponents and amazing goalkeepers.

Amazing goalkeeper syndrome has been around since the old Champ Manager days :-)

There are a few niggly issues with the game for sure, but nothing that makes it unplayable, or beatable.

Time to close this, as it has headed into the territory it was always heading in.

The ME is the same for AI as it is for humans. Any perceived AI efficiency is actually just revealing the inefficiency of the user. It's not really up for debate, and sometimes the truth hurts.